Reviving Kenya's Coffee Industry

With its acidic soil, and just the right amount of sunlight and rainfall, the highlands of central Kenya long enjoyed the perfect conditions to grow an intense and full-bodied arabica. But now, the country’s once-thriving coffee industry faces serious challenges— with climate change, aging coffee trees, and socioeconomic inequity all contributing to low productivity.

Thanks to new research supported by our Sector Partnerships Program, the Kenya Coffee Producer’s Association (KCPA) has proposed a strategy to tackle these issues: national reform of the country’s cooperative system.

Over 60 percent of Kenyan coffee is produced by smallholders. These farmers rely on their local coopera- tive for training and to process the raw fruit of their coffee plants into beans—two crucial elements that determine the quality and, in turn, the price paid for their produce. But many cooperatives are now strug- gling to provide these essential services due to chronic mismanage- ment and weak regulatory enforce- ment. Women and young farmers are also systematically excluded from cooperative leadership. The KCPA is calling for a major revision of the leg- islation regulating these associations, known as the “Cooperatives Act.”

Having supported KCPA in devel- oping its policy recommendations, the Rainforest Alliance also helped its staff strengthen their advocacy skills. So far, the early results look promising; KCPA has quickly gained recognition as the authoritative voice of coffee farmers’ interests through- out Kenya. Thanks to this newfound standing within the sector, KCPA has been able to meet with top members of the Kenyan government and lobby officials on several key issues—from helping farmers adapt to climate change to inclusion initiatives to em- power women and youth.